AAP MLA uploads video from Punjab Assembly, suspended

Chandigarh, June 16 (IANS) Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira was on Friday suspended from the Punjab assembly for the remainder of the session after he uploaded a video clip showing the ruckus inside the House.

Khaira uploaded the four-minute video clip on Facebook late on Thursday. Assembly Speaker Rana K.P. Singh asked the assembly marshalls to confiscate the mobile phone of Khaira and ordered his suspension.

The AAP legislator opposed his suspension. “By unilaterally suspending me for the remaining session of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha, the Speaker has only exposed himself to be a minion and a convenient hand tool of the Congress government,” Khaira said in a statement later.

“While suspending me under the directions of (Chief Minister) Amarinder Singh, the Speaker even forgot to give me a chance to give an explanation to counter the unfair suspension.”

“To set the record straight, I shot the video and posted it on the social media when the proceedings of the Vidhan Sabha were adjourned due to ruckus. It is also noteworthy to mention that it is not a first time that a member has shot a video within the Vidhan Sabha,” Khaira said, pointing out the previous instances of videos and photos from inside the assembly being uploaded on social media.

“I am surprised that while the proceedings of Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha are shown live to the nation, why is the Congress government and the Speaker so rattled by the video that I have posted on Facebook?” Khaira, who has been spearheading an expose against senior minister Rana Gurjit Singh, said.